Ablation cable assemblies and a method of manufacturing the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018036070-A1
Application number	US-201615225945-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 2, 2016
Priority date	Aug 2, 2016
Publication date	Feb 8, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A cable assembly includes a rigid portion, a flexible central portion, and a radiating portion. The rigid portion is configured to couple to a source of electrosurgical energy and to prevent fluid ingress towards the source of electrosurgical energy. The flexible central portion extends from the rigid portion and includes an inner conductor, a dielectric disposed about the inner conductor, and a conductive braid disposed about the dielectric. The radiating portion extends from the central portion and is configured to deliver electrosurgical energy to tissue.

First claim

What is claimed:

1 . A cable assembly comprising:
a rigid portion configured to couple to a source of electrosurgical energy and prevent fluid ingress, the rigid portion including a rigid tube disposed about the dielectric and in electrical communication with the conductive braid; a flexible central portion extending from the rigid portion, the central portion including:
an inner conductor;
a dielectric disposed about the inner conductor; and
a conductive braid disposed about the dielectric; and
a radiating portion extending from the central portion configured to deliver electrosurgical energy to tissue.

2 . The cable assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the entire cable assembly has a diameter of in the range of 0.01 inches to about 0.5 inches.

3 . The cable assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the conductive braid is in tension between the rigid portion and the radiating portion.

4 . The cable assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the rigid tube is in intimate contact with the dielectric to prevent fluid ingress towards a proximal portion of the cable assembly.

5 . The cable assembly according to claim 2 , wherein a proximal end of the inner conductor extends from the rigid tube.

6 . The cable assembly according to claim 2 , wherein a distal portion of the rigid tube fixes the position of a proximal end of the conductive braid relative to the dielectric.

7 . The cable assembly according to claim 6 , wherein the distal portion of the rigid tube is flared over a proximal end of the conductive braid of the central portion.

8 . The cable assembly according to claim 7 , wherein the flexible portion includes a tube shrunk over a joint between defined the rigid tube and the conductive braid to seal the joint.

9 . A method of manufacturing a cable assembly, the method comprising:
drawing a rigid tube over a proximal portion of a dielectric of a coaxial cable with a distal end of the rigid tube in electrical communication with a conductive braid of the coaxial cable disposed about the dielectric; trimming a proximal end of the dielectric extending from a proximal end of the rigid tube to expose a proximal portion of an inner conductor; exposing a length of the inner conductor at a distal portion of the coaxial cable; and forming a radiating portion about the exposed length of the inner conductor.

10 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein forming the radiating portion tensions the conductive braid between the rigid tube and the radiating portion.

11 . The method according to claim 9 , further comprising verifying a diameter of the dielectric at an end of the coaxial cable before drawing the rigid tube over the proximal end of the dielectric.

12 . The method according to claim 9 , further comprising coating a proximal portion of the conductive braid and trimming the proximal end of the conductive braid to leave a coated proximal portion of the conductive braid about the dielectric before drawing the rigid tube over the proximal portion of the dielectric.

13 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein drawing the rigid tube over the proximal portion of the dielectric includes positioning the distal portion of the rigid tube distally beyond the coated proximal portion of the conductive braid.

14 . The method according to claim 13 , further comprising flaring the distal portion of the rigid tube before positioning the distal end of the rigid tube distally beyond the coated proximal portion of the conductive braid.

15 . The method according to claim 9 , further comprising measuring a length of the dielectric extending beyond a proximal end of the inner conductor after drawing the rigid tube over the proximal portion of the dielectric to verify a seal is formed between the rigid tube and the dielectric.

16 . The method according to claim 9 , further comprising sealing a joint between the distal end of the rigid tube and the conductive braid with a shrink tube disposed about the rigid tube and the conductive braid.

17 . The method according to claim 9 , further comprising reinforcing the proximal portion of the rigid tube before trimming the proximal end of the dielectric.

18 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein reinforcing the proximal portion of the rigid tube includes tin dipping the proximal portion of the rigid tube.

19 . The method according to claim 9 , further comprising sharpening the proximal portion of the inner conductor after trimming the proximal end of the dielectric.

20 . The method according to claim 9 , further comprising leaving the conductive braid exposed between the rigid tube and the radiator portion such that fluid may impregnate the conductive braid.

Assignees

• Covidien Lp

Inventors

• Dickhans William J
• Halbur John J
• Brannan Joseph D

Classifications

• A61B2018/00577

  Ablation · CPC title

• A61B2018/144

  Wire · CPC title

• A61B18/1492 Primary

  having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation (A61B18/1477 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61B2018/1465

  Deformable electrodes · CPC title

• H01B13/228

  After-treatment · CPC title